Cherry Blossoms Shingashi River | Kawagoe

From the official Facebook page linked in first paragraph, click on this photo to be brought to the official Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine website.

Cherry Blossoms Shingashi River – Kawagoe is just 31 minutes from Ikebukuro, Tokyo, on the Tobu Tojo line (jump to access from Tokyo). It is a popular tourist town. One of Kawagoe’s most spectacular spots to enjoy “sakura” is out the back of Hikawa shrine, where the cherry blossoms line the Shingashi River. Until recent years it was mainly locals and off-the-beaten-track tourists who enjoyed its splendour, but nowadays the cherry blossom attract thousands of admirers.

Where is the famous river boat ride under cherry blossoms in Japan?

Shingashi River, behind Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine in Saitama, just North of Tokyo

Where can I see a river of pink – cherry blossom petals – on the river?

One of the reasons it is such a popular cherry blossom viewing spot is because you can get a photo of a paddle boat being steered down the river under the blossoms, by a man in a festival happi coat and a traditional sugegasa hat. Moreover, if you time it right you get to see a stunning river of pink petals. The image above is an official photo from Hikawa Shrine’s Facebook page. And while the cherry blossoms are in full bloom you can also view them at night until 10 pm as they light lanterns along the riverside walkway:

Currently, the Cherry Blossoms Shingashi River boat ride isn’t accessible to the general public, but on April 2nd 2016 it will be from noon until 6 pm. The annual up-to-date event information is here. Furthermore on the day the boat ride is open to the public without a booking, it is free. Tickets will be distributed, subject to availability, from in front of the Kita Kominkan on the far side of the bridge to the Hikawa shrine back entrance. They are marked on a map I made below the access map.

This year’s event information;

Cherry Blossom Boat Ride on Shingashi River, back of Hikawa Shrine

Cherry Blossom Boat Ride on Shingashi River, back of Hikawa Shrine

Cherry Blossom Boat Ride Shingashi River at the back of Hikawa Shrine The tentative date for the Cherry Blossom Boat Ride down the Shingashi River at the back of Kawagoe… Read more »

Update Cherry Blossoms Shingashi River 2017

After many years of trying to time it right, I finally got to see the river completely decorated in pink petals with my own eyes on April 10th 2017. Regrettably I am not a photographer and I didn’t have my Canon camera (Amazon Affiliate link) at the time so I couldn’t do it justice at all, but this will give you an idea:

Information For Cherry Blossoms Shingashi River

Hikawa Shrine

Koedo Kawagoe bus one day pass allows you unlimited travel on the Koedo Kawagoe buses. It costs 300 yen. In the bus they have a monitor with sightseeing information. Some tourist places give discounts on souvenirs or entrance tickets to people with a one day pass.Koedo Meguri (Loop) Bus from Kawagoe station. You can buy a one day pass that allows you unlimited travel on the Meguri Bus. It stops at 16 different locations. 104 different shops, offer discount services such as souvenirs, food, and entrance fees to facilities for holders of this day pass. In addition, there are announcements in English and Chinese as well as Japanese so foreigners can feel at ease. More information here:http://www.new-wing.co.jp/koedo/index_e.html

Cherry Blossoms Shingashi River and the free parking area:

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ACCESS

Kawagoe Access by train from Tokyo and Omiya

31 minutes from Ikebukuro on a express train on the Tobu Tojo Line. 470 yen

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There are two main ways you can celebrate the blooming of cherry Â blossoms in Japan; hanami,Â which involves picnicking under a cherry tree, or aÂ Sakura matsuri, literallyÂ cherry blossom festival. Â â¦

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Hi! Thank you so much for commenting… your comment was hidden in my spam box, so I only saw it now, sorry about that. Hikawa is a good place to make wishes; everyone I ever made there came true. 🙂 Thanks for reading. <3

Hi Time Traveler,
Yes, you can, but it is only open to the public one day during the season. They have released the tentative date for 2018. Generally you have to queue up for a ticket on the morning of the event. Last year, the event was cancelled last minute due to snow, so please do be aware there maybe changes. Here is the information for this year’s event: http://insaitama.com/event/boat-ride-on-shingashi-river-at-back-of-hikawa-shrine-kawagoe/